Safe and Sound
by Jagged Hearts
Summary: Destiny can predict a person's entire life from the moment they are born to their last breath, but there is one thing even fate cannot foresee; love. Sometimes it just takes a single person to rewrite an entire story and change the ending. The Once and Future King's life had been planned out to a "T", but what exactly happens when the prince meets an unexpected shadow? ArthurXOC
1. Chapter 1

_Hiya, guys! So, this is a brand, spankin new story that I've come up with! I just finished up season 4 of Merlin and I have to say, I loved it so much! So, I was inspired to make a story for Arthur! I've read a fair amount of stories and such, but there aren't that many OC stories, so I figured, why not! (not to mention Arthur's kind of my favorite _^_^) _There is also a bit of MerlinXMorgana just because I love them! The story itself won't follow the exact plot, but it will have a general similarity. __Hopefully you readers enjoy this story! I'm hoping everyone is in character and such, and if not or if anyone has a problem or a question, etc. feel free to let me know! Criticism is always welcome! _

_Well, anyways. Hope you guys like this! Here is the first chapter! _

_Also, I'd like to thank Belle of Roses for giving me the courage to post this and for helping me out! Super appreciate it!_

_Ok, _now_ here is the chapter._

_Disclaimer: I do not own anything that's related to BBC's Merlin series._

_Safe and Sound_

The sun was shining brightly in the cloudless sky. It was early afternoon and all seemed well. Albion sat peacefully as its people went about their day as they normally did. The villagers smiled and the children laughed per usual. A castle sat behind its tall and strong walls and though many traveled in and out through the gates, there was one tiny figure that made sure to stay out of sight.

King Uther Pendragon of Camelot was known as a fair and just man or, at least, he once had been. These days, circumstances were different. The light that once existed in his eyes was gone. The smile that brightened even the saddest man's day was nowhere to be seen, completely wiped from existence. He was stricter, colder, and relentless.

Perhaps it had been the passing of the late Ygraine that had changed him so.

In a land where all people lived in harmony, things had changed drastically. Though most still lived happily, there were those who had been swiped away. Their lives had been forced from them by the hands of their very own king and only for one, sole reason.

Sorcery.

After the great purge, the villagers weren't sure just how things would settle back down. Lives had been taken, families had been broken and it seemed that the darkness would never clear away. But, in the end, it did. Daily routine returned to the land and those who lost mothers, fathers, friends and lovers all moved on—grieving as they did. The king successfully brought together his people and joined them together during this time, showing them, for the last time, the mercy in his heart.

Still, the pain and sorrow were never forgotten.

Now, several years later, as the king stared out at his land, at his people, he couldn't help but let satisfaction roll through him. His people were safe and his soldiers were all strong and loyal, ready to attack on his command. Though he had lost his wife there was still one light of hope left in his entire life. It was the one thing that pushed him forward when he felt as though he was losing grasp of himself. It was the single thing left in his life that gave him purpose.

His beloved son.

As for the young prince himself, the six-year-old could be seen sneaking around the kingdom. He dipped in and out between barrels and haystacks, glancing around innocently for castle guards. When noting that the coast was clear, the young boy grinned to himself, sprinting out from behind a tiny wooden cart and giggling to himself. Those who caught sight of the young boy—his blond hair almost impossible to miss—merely smiled and said nothing; his father loved him dearly, which was why he kept the young prince on such a tight chain.

As the prince ducked behind a large wagon, he smirked to himself feeling proud with the way the guards at the gate seemed to miss him. Once he was outside the castle walls, the young boy stood tall and dusted himself off, smiling widely out at the open forest. He laughed proudly as he placed his hands on his hips and nodded to himself.

Arthur had—at first—been apprehensive with his impulsive decision to escape the citadel. He was a mere boy, after all, and his father had always told him of the perils that waited outside the safety of the gates. As the days went by, the blond's curiosity for the life outside of his own only grew, and that was how he found himself standing on a hilltop. Never before had Arthur felt so alive—granted, he'd only been living for six years. He was young and had much to learn, but he was so sure he'd never forget the feeling of standing over the land. He wanted nothing more than to gaze out at the green pastures and trees forever.

But a prince is a prince, and with that comes a sense of duty.

The curious prince grinned widely like he never had before and ventured into the forest, ignoring his father's voice in his head warning him of the dangers lying ahead. The shadows from the leaves in the trees shielded the blond from the sun as he walked down the path silently, absorbing everything around him.

Yes, Arthur had traveled through the forest before, but never on his own and never for his own pleasure. His father had always marched with him on their trips, and other than that the prince was never allowed to leave the castle grounds. He was the single heir to the throne, and though he knew very little of what that meant, he had a strong feeling that meant he was important.

"Incredible!" Arthur cheered as he strolled down the dirt path, enamored by the way the birds sang so freely and the way the leaves moved with the wind. He stopped for a moment as he glanced down at the ground, staring curiously at a lady bug on a rock. He smiled as he held his finger out to the bug and watched it crawl cautiously on to the tip of his index.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you," he assured. How could he not? He had been born to protect his kingdom; didn't that mean the creatures in it too?

Setting the insect on a leaf, Arthur nodded to himself as he stood tall and began walking down a road less traveled. The path led astray from the main road but the prince paid no mind to it. He was a brave one, even at such a young age.

And so, the future king played out in the forest for an hour, and in that hour he had discovered so many things. He had discovered just what if felt like to fall without having someone to catch him. He learned that indeed, the branches did not move out of his way when alone, and he also learned that there was nothing like listening to the hums of the birds and the bugs in silence. By the time he had begun making his way back to the trail, he was so entirely spent that he was sure he could have fallen fast asleep on the grass.

The day's peace was quickly ruined with one single moment.

Arthur frowned slightly as he glanced around the trees, noticing just how similar everything was beginning to look. He had been sure he had come from the east, but as he walked and walked he realized that perhaps he had come from the north. Or maybe it was northeast? The prince wasn't so sure anymore. He was so tired and so young; how was he supposed to figure these sorts of things out alone?

Not noticing the tiny precipice ahead, the blond turned around and began stepping backwards, trying to decide if he should make his way back to where he had started. He had little time to react to his foot slipping and to the way his body began tumbling to the ground. He had fallen so quickly that the pain hadn't registered in his mind until after he had stopping rolling and stilled. His eyes remained closed as he winced, trying to move and only causing himself more pain. He forced his deep blue eyes open and gasped as a sharp pain from his leg coursed through him.

Narrowing his eyes, Arthur glared up at the miniature crag before trying to sit up. After several minutes of working, the prince finally sat up, leaning back against a tree stump. He wheezed, his sides sore and his body aching everywhere. He didn't bother trying to stand up for he knew the consequences from those actions. He could easily tell he had broken his ankle, and from the looks of it, rather terribly. He grimaced but nothing more; king's never showed signs of fear nor pain.

The dizziness from the collapse began to present itself to Arthur, his head spinning and his visioning fading and blurring. The trees and bushes began to double as the blond closed his eyes and tried to control his breathing. He tried to stand and grit his teeth, his leg screaming, begging for him to stop; he didn't argue.

_Father will be furious. _The young prince groaned before he tried once more to stand; he did not want to disappoint his king.

"It's no use!" Arthur stiffened before his eyes snapped open. He looked up and stared at an unfamiliar face. It was a face belonging to a young girl. She was probably no older than Arthur, but she was rather peculiar. The prince knew all of the children in town; this stranger was not from his home. "You won't be going far with wounds like that."

"Wh—Who are you?" The blond tried to keep the trembling out of his voice as he glared at the little girl standing a few feet away. He wanted to be brave like his father was, but he had never faced anyone alone, hell, he'd never face anyone _at all_. If he had to defend himself in the condition he was in then he was fearful for his safety.

"Don't worry. I won't hurt you," the girl said with a grin as she walked up to the injured boy.

The six-year-old wasn't the most observant child, but he easily noticed many things about the stranger strolling towards him. Her hair was straight and hung down to the top of her shoulders. It was as dark as the night, much like Morgana's hair, but her eyes were unlike his friend's. Her eyes were a deep brown color and her skin was a bit darker than his—she had the advantage of being in the sun more than he. She wore a dark gray dress and a pair of white slippers, though her shoes were faded and smudged with dirt; didn't she have someone to polish them for her?

"I can make the pain go away," she explained sweetly as she knelt down beside Arthur, the boy leaning away from her. He frowned at the way she giggled at him but said nothing as he watched her gently place the tips of her fingers to his head. He blinked, slightly surprised by how carefully she handled him. His blue eyes fluttered shut at the way her hand carefully brushed a bit of his hair to the side.

"Does the cut hurt?"

"Does it_ look_ like it hurts?" Arthur snapped back as he rolled his eyes.

Some things never truly change.

The dark haired girl scolded the boy but continued as she closed her eyes for a moment. Arthur watched her for a second before his own eyes widened. He stiffened as he felt a strange warmth spread through his head, the girl's fingertips placed right over his gash. There was only one explanation for the way his cut was suddenly healed and the way he was no longer lightheaded. If it wasn't that, it was they obvious way the girl's eyes had flashed into a light gold color.

Magic.

"Y—You're a sorcerer?"

"A what?" The girl blinked curiously at him as she tilted her head a fraction to the left. She shrugged as she stood to her feet and made her way to his broken angle. She stared at it for a moment before she frowned.

"I've never healed a wound like this before."

"Don't!" Arthur snapped as he tried to scoot away. "I don't want your magic!"

"What's wrong with my magic?" the stranger asked with a scowl as the prince rolled his eyes and glared at her.

"It's _bad_!"

"Says who?"

"Says my father!"

"Well, he's wrong!"

"He's king! He's not wrong." For heaven's sake, this girl was daft!

"If it's so wrong, why did I just heal your cut? Huh?" the sorceress challenged with a smirk as Arthur blinked. He quickly reached up with his right hand and felt for the gash, only to find his soft forehead scar-less. He blinked before he looked up at the girl as she laughed at him. Not appreciating the condescending tone in her laughter, the prince glared up at the young girl and shook his head.

"You're not supposed to do good things with magic. It's bad, and bad things don't do good." He was almost mystified with what had just happened.

Before the girl could say much else, a rustling from the left caught the children's attention. The two quickly looked over and Arthur blinked, slightly taken aback by the way his companion stood before him, like she would protect him from whatever was to come; wasn't that to be his duty?

"Who's there?" Arthur called out, trying to gain back some semblance of control. He tensed as a woman, looking almost identical to the young girl, appeared from the bushes. Her hair was much longer and her face aged with experience and life.

"What are you doing with him?"

"He was hurt!" the girl explained to what Arthur quickly assumed was her mother. His eyes softened at the way the woman knelt down and held her child by the shoulder's, a concerned gleam in her eyes.

He sometimes wondered if his mother would have ever worried for him like so.

"I was just trying to help him."

"Did you use magic?" the woman asked fearfully as the little one nodded innocently. Her mother closed her eyes before she grabbed her daughter's hand and pulled the hood to her cloak over her head. She glanced at the prince before she hesitated and bowed her head, Arthur merely blinking and watching her. There was no time for him to question the situation as the angry shouts and screams of Camelot's guards filled the silence.

"Find the prince!"

"Split up!"

"Don't let the sorceress get away!"

"We must leave," the woman warned the girl as she tugged and dragged her daughter along. The little girl glanced back at Arthur as he stared after her. He kept the stupid expression on his face, not quite sure if he truly understood what was happening.

"Goodbye!" And without another word, the girl and woman disappeared into the thick of the forest.

Arthur sat quietly as he thought to himself. He didn't have much time to mull his questions over as the castle guards emerged from the trees, relief spreading on their faces as they found the prince propped up against the stump.

"My lord!" one of the guards called out as the king himself shoved past his men. "We've found the prince!"

"Arthur?" Uther frantically called out, the prince looking up and smiling widely as his father rushed forward and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Are you alright, son?"

"Father! I'm sorry. I just wanted to go out," the prince began explaining. "And then when I was trying to find my way back I fell and then a girl—"

"This is a disaster! Look at yourself! You've almost gotten yourself killed, and with a sorceress on the loose!" the king snapped angrily. "What you did was ridiculously reckless. How can I trust the future of Camelot to a prince who acts as though he's still a child?" But wasn't Arthur just that? A child?

A guilty expression washed over the six-year-old as he stared down at his hands and nodded. "I'm sorry, father."

Uther sighed as he stared down at his son. His expression softened as he not only stared down at the heir of Camelot, but his wife. His grasp tightened on his son's shoulders before he gently picked the boy up from underneath his arms, carrying him carefully to his horse. He helped Arthur on to the saddle, making sure to leave his injured leg untouched. Then, turning to his guards, he nodded.

"Find that sorceress and bring her to me! I will _not_ let her get away when she has broken one of the most sacred laws of Camelot!"

"Yes, sire." And then they were off.

Arthur scooted forward, allowing his father more room to sit behind him, and he sighed, relieved he could finally go home and have Gaius look at his ankle; his foot was beginning to go numb. He closed his eyes and leaned back against his father's chest and relaxed as the king glanced down at him with a small smile on his lips.

"…Don't scare me like that, Arthur."

"I'm sorry, father," the young prince repeated as he felt drowsiness consume him.

"…You're all I have left now. I won't lose you."

And then, suddenly, Arthur felt someone shaking his shoulders. He kept his eyes closed, too tired from the day's adventure to pay any mind to the voice calling his name from a distance. He frowned, the shaking never ceasing. It was only until the young boy opened his eyes that he realized that he had been dreaming. He was no longer a child leaning against his father.

He was the crowned Prince of Camelot.

"Arthur! You have to wake up!"

"M—Merlin?" Slightly shaken from his dream, the prince blinked a few times, his manservant leaning over him with an exasperated look on his face. The darkness of the night was fought off by a single candle stick on the prince's nightstand, probably left by Merlin. "What is it? What's going on?"

"Someone's broken into the castle, you dollop head!" Merlin snapped; he must have been trying to wake his master for ages.

Immediately, Arthur jumped out of bed, pulling on a red tunic his servant had already grabbed for him. Luckily, the prince already had breeches on so the transition from sleep to consciousness was a smooth one. The prince grit his teeth as he shook his head and gracefully grabbed his sword. He looked back at Merlin as he followed close behind, and shook his head.

"Why wouldn't you come wake me sooner, you bumbling idiot?" Arthur snapped as he turned ahead and continued on, Merlin stopping for a moment. The warlock refrained from casting a curse on his prince as he shook his head.

"I really shouldn't be so surprised by your royal _pratness_ anymore."

"What was that?"

"Nothing, sire!" There was a time and place for certain things.

Merlin quickly fell into step with Arthur as the blond glanced at him and smirked, the servant smirking right back at him; though their arguing was constant, there was no one else either wanted by their side.

"Let us find this intruder." And find the intruder they would.


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello readers! I'm on an updating roll and have decided to post a new chapter of this story up! Thanks for those who are giving this story a chance and checking it out! I hope it's up to standards and that my effort is showing _^_^ _I've been hard at work trying to update all of my stories, and I hope you guys like this one! _

_Also, I wasn't very clear on this when I posted the first chapter, so I just wanted to say that this story takes place after season two and probably in the middle of season three, though this is mainly AU type of story, like I stated before. Just so anyone who is curious is wondering! _

_Well, read and enjoy! I write for people's entertainment and I hope it does just that! Constructive criticism is always welcome as well! _

_Thanks and hope you like._

_Disclaimer: __I do not own anything that's related to BBC's Merlin series._

* * *

The sound of Camelot's soldiers running around the castle and searching for the intruder filled the still of the night as Arthur joined his men, Merlin alongside him. He held the hilt of his sword tightly as he searched through his fortress, the warning bells ringing in the air. He frowned but kept calm; of all the times for an intruder to break through their defenses, now was the worst.

Feeling the prince's discomfort, Merlin leaned forward a bit and gave him a determined gaze. "We'll find whoever is here."

"Of course we will," Arthur stated as Merlin smiled, relieved the same, cocky tone he hated and loved had reappeared in the man's voice and on his face.

The two split up from the three guards they had been searching with as they turned left and the knights continued forward. The prince and warlock walked side-by-side in silence, letting the bell fill the void. As they turned the corner, the young men came to an abrupt halt, four guards knocked completely unconscious on the floor. The prince groaned as he shook his head and began running towards his fallen men. His manservant followed faithfully, the two making their way down the spiral staircase and towards the doors that led to the great hall. As Arthur tried pushing the door open his eyes widened, the entrance unwavering. He grunted as he tried once more and shook his head.

"The damn thing's locked," he snapped as he positioned himself with his shoulder facing the wooden doors. He took a few steps back before charging into the locked entrance, trying to break it down with just his strength. He tried a few more times before he winced, switching to his other side and continuing with his ministrations.

Merlin watched as his eyes traced the door. He glanced at his master, who was far too preoccupied with his work to notice anything the brunet did. Using that to his advantage, the young servant held his hand out toward the door, letting the magic inside of him churn and come to life. He closed his eyes and felt the nerves in his body spark, burning within him like a lit torch. He could have smiled at the sensations within him but refrained from doing so, more focused on the matter at hand. Waiting for the right moment, the wizard watched as Arthur made to charge once more, his blue eyes morphing into a golden color.

"_Tóspringe_!" Merlin held his chuckle back at the way Arthur flew right through the double doors as they burst open. The prince tumbled to the floor as the manservant quickly ran up to his master's side, grabbing him carefully by the forearm and helping him to his feet.

"About time," Arthur snapped as he glanced back at the door, Merlin rolling his eyes and shaking his head.

_You're welcome. _

"You there! Stop!" Missing the expression on Merlin's face in that moment, Arthur's eyes fell upon the intruder of the castle. The figure stood in the middle of the room, a large sack of what the prince could only assume was filled with palace treasures hanging from his right shoulder. He held his sword up and watched as the thief set the bag down carefully, the dark green hooded cloak concealing the person's identity well. The two watched as their opponent drew out their own sword, but that sword in particular was quite different from the swords Arthur was used to seeing on the battle field.

The blade was a bit longer than Arthur's own, but the hilt of the sword rested in the middle of the weapon, a long blade on either side of the leather handle. Not many men from Camelot used that type of weapon, though it wasn't unforeseen before. The prince would just have to make sure to keep his guard up; he fought many adversaries before, this would be no different.

"Surrender now and you may be able to turn this all around," Arthur reasoned as he slowly and cautiously began approaching the disguised figure. The burglar said nothing as he began twirling the swallow ever so elegantly; clearly, this person wanted a challenge. "You were warned."

Without hesitation, the prince swung his blade and tried striking his enemy down. He released a guttural grunt as his opponent blocked his attack with ease and shoved him back, swinging one end of the swallow at his neck. The prince moved quickly as he leaned back, the tip just barely grazing his soft skin. He stumbled but quickly caught his balance as his assailant jabbed the tip of the blade in Arthur's midsection. The blond jumped backwards and swung his sword in front of him, blocking the deathly blow. His blue eyes widened as the aggressor began to move with the momentum of Arthur's attack, spinning around and swinging the other end of the swallow towards him.

"Arthur!" Merlin cried out as said knight turned his body to the left, the sharpened blade just slicing through his sleeve and his tricep. He flinched but ignored the sharp sting shooting up his arm as he span back around and listened to the clack of two blades against one another. The young prince grit his teeth and growled as he pushed using all the force within him, his opponent pressing just as strongly back. His manservant watched and bit at his lip, his anxiety only growing with every second that passed.

Arthur usually didn't have too much trouble holding his own in a battle, and the fact that this man was causing his master to fumble even in the slightest was worrying for him. Still, he had the utmost faith in his future king and would not intervene unless it was completely necessary; he respected Arthur's pride enough to do so.

"Show yourself!" the knight snapped as he lunged forward, his footwork clean and precise. He narrowed his eyes at the soundless intruder before he span around, aiming his blade to the unsuspecting person's legs. He smirked at the way his assailant unsteadily jumped, dodging the sword in the nick of time. With a loud and painful sounding "thud", the hooded figure landed on the ground, the double-bladed weapon skidding against the floor and out of reach. Arthur then placed the tip of his blade to the only visible part of the person's body; his neck.

"Now, I'm giving you one more chance. Show your face or I'll be forced to take severe actions," Arthur stated evenly. The shadow sat motionlessly for a few moments as if to contemplate the two choices. Arthur watched intently before the unexpected happened.

"Ah!" A high pitched yelp escaped from the prince's lips as the thief on the floor shoved the heel of their foot into his groin. Immediately, his sword fell from his hand and clanked against the wood floor. He curled into himself as the pain instantaneously spread throughout his body like a wild fire, almost like he was burning from the inside out. He crumbled to his knees and his hands covered his nether regions gently, giving his attacker _plenty _of spare time to stand and dust himself off. All the while, Merlin found himself gaping at the scene before him. The last thing he had expected was to see someone kick his master well…somewhere so…_sacred_. The young warlock almost laughed but quickly collected himself as he rushed to his master's side, the perpetrator insouciantly walking away and grabbing the bag of stolen treasures from the castle vault.

"W—Wait," Arthur choked out as he reached out for his sword with his free hand, his servant helping him and handing him the blade.

"I believe I've done enough of that, _your grace_." For a short moment, the pain in Arthur's body disappeared.

The cloaked man the brunet and blond had thought was underneath the hood was actually the _exact opposite_. A gloved hand reached up and tugged the green hood down and instead of a bulky and burly face the two young men were greeted with a pleasant, feminine one. Long, black locks unraveled from underneath the hood, falling just to the bottom of her bosom.

"You…You're a girl…" Merlin stated, completely dumbfounded, as the young woman standing before the two on the floor smirked.

The thief had a dark green cloak that had successfully covered her entire form. Underneath her cape she wore a light brown leather vest that fit to her form, a cream colored long-sleeved shirt underneath her vest. Her brownish gray trousers were tucked neatly into her black boots, and after taking a good look at the woman, the prince and manservant couldn't help but want to slap themselves for their ignorance. Her feet were far too small and her hands were far too dainty to be a part of a man's body.

How had the two been so blind?

"Impossible!" Arthur croaked as he stood to his feet, hunching over for a moment as he used Merlin's arm and balance to stay standing. He winced as the agonizing ache began to numb, his legs slowly beginning to gain the feeling back.

"Clearly it's not as impossible as you say," the female stated snarkily as she chuckled and shook her head.

"My expedition was supposed to be a silent one, so forgive me for disturbing you."

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Away!" Turning around, the young lady bowed mockingly at the two, smirking condescendingly at the prince as he glared at her, snarling and exposing his canines in the process. He would have called out once more for the burglar but the blond knew his attempts would be futile, and in his condition he knew she'd get away.

The two watched helplessly as the figure disappeared into the shadows of the night, leaving them in the great hall. The silence was almost too deafening to bear and it was a few seconds later that the manservant spoke, laughing sheepishly. "…Well…that's twice you've been beaten by a girl."

"_Merlin_? Shut. Up."

O

It seemed once just wasn't enough for the young thief.

She had returned two more times after her first adventure to the castle vault. The second time the huntress had slipped past the guards had been just a few days after her initial break-in. It had been late one evening. Camelot and its people slept silently, resting from the day's work. The prince was sleeping soundly in his bedroom when he had been ripped away from his dreams so heartlessly by the warning bells ringing through the silence. He quickly sat up, and without hesitation the blond leaped out of bed, grabbing his sword and rushing out of his chamber.

He had grouped with his knights, throwing instructions out to them and fiercely leading them towards the intruder. He split up from his men and quickly made his way to the vault, thinking someone had broken in to steal more gold. He was rather perplexed when he found the lock had been untouched and everything seemed perfectly in place. The prince had been expecting the entire room to be ransacked, yet nothing had been taken. It wasn't until his servant came sprinting in his direction that he had realized that the robber was not interested in money or jewels.

"Merlin? What the hell are you doing here?"

"It's that girl, from a few days ago!" There was nothing stopping Arthur after that. He hadn't forgotten about the way the thief had humiliated so and the pain, though gone, still haunted the prince; it would have haunted any mortal man. He had a score to settle and he had planned on dealing with the pain-in-the-arse woman.

It had seemed that instead of riches, the thief had been more interested in what the physician had to offer. She had broken into Gaius' chambers with ease. The man could sleep through almost anything and everything, so slipping past his guard was rather simple. As long as she had been careful and had been quiet, the old man would continue dreaming and be completely oblivious to his missing herbs and potions.

If it hadn't been for Merlin, the thief might have actually slipped away from Camelot without a trace.

The warlock had been having trouble sleeping for the past few evenings. He had been tossing and turning in his bed, trying to find a more comfortable position to sleep. He had almost been tempted to use his magic on himself, then he could finally get a bit of rest; his mornings were never a walk in the park when it came to serving Arthur.

Just as Merlin was nearly fast asleep, he heard a soft clinking of glass against glass. At first, the brunet had decided to wave the sound off, thinking that Gaius had perhaps awoken and made himself something to drink. He had been so exhausted that his senses begged him to just roll over and fall into the oblivion waiting for him. Then he had heard a muffled voice cursing quietly, and it was at that moment he knew it wasn't his guardian. The voice belonged to a woman, and then Merlin remembered where he had heard the stranger from.

Bolting out of bed, Merlin rushed down the wooden steps and came to an abrupt pause, staring with a wide-eyed gaze at the same woman who had infiltrated the castle just nights before. His jaw went slack as he blinked, the dark haired woman looking back and grinning playfully at him. He almost would have found it charming had the two met in more _normal_ circumstances.

"Thank you for the gifts!"

"Gifts are usually _given _away. Not taken," Merlin pointed out as he hesitantly walked towards the thief. She gave him a smirk before she shrugged.

"Then I suppose the gold I took wasn't a gift?"

"From Arthur? That prat doesn't give gifts. He _gets_ them." Merlin had made sure to leave that out when explaining to his prince what had happened.

It wasn't long after that the thief bid the warlock adieu. The young lady had escaped the physician's aid with ease, tripping the already clumsy servant and running out of the door with a melodic laugh.

"Is there not _one _thing you can do right?" Arthur snapped furiously as he paced back and forth in Merlin and Gaius' chambers, the old man now awake and informed of the situation at hand. The manservant refrained from rolling his eyes before he mumbled something along the lines of, "I deal with you, don't I?" under his breath.

"This…This _wench_ has made a fool of Camelot twice!" She had made a fool of_ him_ twice.

"It's not your fault."

"_No_, it's _yours_!" the prince roared as he looked accusingly at Merlin, the brunet shaking his head and releasing a defeated sigh; there was no winning with his master.

After that night, Arthur had doubled the guards and security. He was not going to try and take any chances with any more incidents. He would be ready if there was going to be another intrusion by the thief, after all, he was Prince of Camelot! He was going to be the future king, for crying out loud! He couldn't have some lowly burglar break through his forces and steal whatever she liked.

And yet that was exactly what she intended to do.


	3. Chapter 3

_Hello once again! Here is a new chapter for this Arthur story! _

_I just wanted to say thanks to everyone reading it! I hope you're all enjoying it! I work hard on my stories and I just hope it shows _=)

_The one thing I will say about this chapter is that the story plot begins to sort of simmer up and thicken here. So hopefully you guys like where I'll be taking it! Read on, and thanks for all the support!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own anything that is related to BBC's Merlin series_

* * *

It had been five days and five nights since the bandit's last visit to Camelot's castle. All had seemed well and peaceful for the villagers. The guards were at their usual posts, some making their rounds for the evening. The prince had bid everyone a good evening after finishing his daily duties and training, Merlin tidying up his room and finishing the rest of his chores for the night. All seemed well indeed.

But sometimes not everything is as it seems; no one had succeeded in noticing the shadow that had so easily infiltrated the security of the castle and had already began weaving through the corridors of the dimly lit fortress.

A slim figure pressed itself against the stone wall, listening as the synchronized steps of the knights bounced through the silence. Waiting patiently, the sound finally faded away, giving the cloaked woman just enough time to slip down the corridor and disappear around the corner once more. Her footsteps were soundless, almost like feathers falling to the ground; light and airy. She maneuvered her way through the maze-like castle, her shadow dancing on the floor as she moved swiftly.

Walking down the spiral staircase, the hooded woman glanced down both directions of the strip before turning left. The light from the torches began to fade away, the darkness overcoming everything in its path. She paid no mind to it as she welcomed it and melded with it. It wasn't long before the thief found herself in front of a locked door. She frowned for a moment before she glanced around, pulling her hood off. She muttered quietly to herself before she sighed and shook her head, raising her foot into the air and kicking the door with one fell swoop. She was sure no one was around to hear and even if they were, she'd be long gone by the time anyone found her.

Smirking, the robber strolled through the opened door but came to an abrupt halt.

"So you _did _decide to join me." Arthur sat comfortably on a chair in the middle of the armory as he sharpened his blade, not bothering to look up from his work. He smirked to himself, imagining the dark haired girl's expression; it brought him much satisfaction. Finally, his blue eyes flickered up to the woman, who soon recovered from her shock. She cleared her throat before quickly pulling out her swallow and smirking to the prince.

"I thought your little servant tucked you in for bed?"

"Yes, well, then I thought about something," Arthur began as he stood to his feet, spinning his sword three times before holding it firmly in his hand. "I asked myself, what could a thief be thinking, stealing from the same place twice?"

"It's not uncommon to steal from a place that can easily be broken into," the woman countered as she took a cautious step back at the way the blond took one toward her.

"True as that may be, it would be foolish for someone to do so unless they are not from this land and do not know the strength of this kingdom," the prince stated rationally. "So then I thought, 'perhaps this fool isn't from our land.'" Arthur smirked at the way the woman before him stiffened.

"What good does that information do you?"

"More than you know," the prince said as he watched the thief bump into the corner of a table. She winced but ignored the pain, keeping her brown eyes on the prince.

"I then began thinking about the items you so _kindly _took off our hands."

"Have you never met a bandit? Gold is a common reward amongst us," the woman snapped sardonically as Arthur rolled his eyes.

"Yes, but medicinal herbs?" The burglar said nothing after that. "I put two-and-two together. You took just enough gold from the vault to last you a good, what? Four months? And the herbs and potions, obviously for wounds you may collect as you travel. So I asked myself, what else could you possibly need if you were to journey for a long length of time?" Arthur swung his sword, catching the woman off guard. She gasped slightly before blocking his attack with her weapon, tensing at the way her back was pressed against the armory wall.

"And here we are."

"Congratulations! Perhaps it's not all brawn and no brains for you princes," the woman snapped as she winced, Arthur pushing her firmly up against the wall. He glared at her as she glared back at him, waiting for his next move. He leaned forward and smirked as he stepped back, surprising the thief. She stumbled forward and blinked, not quite sure what sort of tactic the prince was trying to pull off.

"Wh—What are you doing?"

"I'm giving you a fair fight."

"And you trust me to actually spar with you fairly?"

"If I'm going to beat a woman, I'm going to do it honorably." Prince Arthur was a prat if the young woman had ever met one.

"Your loss."

"I don't think so."

Arthur reflexively blocked the swing to his right as the woman span to her left, the blade on the other end of her swallow just missing the prince's torso. The blond quickly ducked underneath the sword as he smirked and reached out, grabbing the intruder by her ankle and tugging. He watched as the woman released a shocked yelp, falling and hitting the ground hard. She recovered quickly though as she pulled her leg back and kicked the prince in the jaw, causing him to fall back with a loud groan. Arthur opened and closed his mouth twice before he jumped to his feet and growled, his opponent standing to her own and glaring back at him.

Swinging their blades in unison, the clattering of metal-against-metal filled the stiff silence as the two battled for dominance. They danced in the shadows of the night as the moon shined through the window of the armory. The swordsmen, too fixated on their battle, didn't notice the way they half-hazardously went about the room, knocking weapons to the ground and pushing tables out of place. If it hadn't been their war cries and anger-filled yells, then it was the screeching of the table legs against the floor that may have caught the guards' attention.

Arthur winced but recovered quickly from the way the dark haired female kicked him into the wall. He reacted swiftly to the swing of her swallow, grabbing the hilt of the weapon and pulling her into the wall. He smirked at her pain-filled groan and yanked her swallow from her grasp, tossing it aside. His hand quickly dropped his sword to the floor as he used his other hand to grab the trespasser by the front of her cloak. The two stared at each other as they took a moment to catch their breaths, the room suddenly much warmer than they had remembered it being.

"This isn't over," the young lady snapped viciously as she tried to pry the prince's hand from her robe. Her futile attempts went unnoticed as Arthur stared into her eyes for a second longer than he would have liked. His brows furrowed inward as he relaxed for a moment, the sudden serene look on his face throwing the trapped woman off guard. She stopped fighting against his grasp for an instance, though her hands stayed loosely around his wrists.

"…What?" she asked carefully as Arthur shook his head, his grip tightening once more as the guards and his manservant flew through the torn down door.

"Arthur!"

"About time you showed up," the prince called out over his shoulder as he dragged the woman in custody toward the guards. Two guards grabbed her as the prince smirked proudly, his prisoner glaring daggers in his direction.

"Take her to the dungeon. I want to make sure she doesn't go anywhere."

"It'll do you no good! If you think I'm the only thief that's heard of the king's fall then you're mistaken!" Arthur froze completely as his eyes widened. He slowly looked up and watched as the guards dragged the prisoner away, Merlin standing beside him with a steady stare of his own.

"…News travels quickly," Arthur said quietly as he turned to his manservant. The brunet said nothing as he looked down the corridor toward the woman's direction.

"Sire, maybe you should get some rest—"

"After I check on my father." And with that, the prince began down the opposite direction of the guards, Merlin hesitating before following closely behind.


End file.
